Wenatchee’s shortest parade returns with new date, smaller crowd

WENATCHEE — Wenatchee’s “world’s shortest St. Patrick’s Day parade” marched down Orondo Avenue the evening of Saturday, March 14 with all the usual good humor — even if a few stubborn patches of snow and lighter-than-usual crowds tried their best to steal the spotlight.

The annual parade, which organizers proudly describe as lasting just one block from Mission Street to Wenatchee Avenue, marked its 45th year this weekend. But this year’s celebration came with a few unusual twists.

For the first time, the parade was held on the Saturday before the holiday rather than on March 17 itself, a change organizers say will continue in future years.

The shift was first officially announced publicly Feb. 26, when Sunny FM morning host Dave Herald formally invited the mayor and Wenatchee City Council to attend during a council meeting and noted the parade would move to Saturdays “moving forward, forever.”

It’s not clear whether that means next year’s event will be even earlier, on the 13th, or after the holiday, on the 20th, since St. Patrick’s Day 2027 will fall on a Wednesday.

Either way, that left little time for word to spread, and turnout reflected the short notice. Participation appeared noticeably lower than in past years, with fewer parade entries and a smaller crowd lining the route.

The weather didn’t help matters.

Wenatchee received its first measurable snowfall of the winter Friday night, leaving slushy patches around downtown and a chill in the air for the 5 p.m. start. By parade time most of the snow had melted, though a few lingering piles still clung to shaded corners of the avenue.

Still, the brief procession delivered its usual dose of green hats, cheerful waves and small-town charm, proving once again that even a parade that lasts only a city block can carry a lot of spirit.

And if this year’s edition felt a little quieter than usual, the good news is that the parade remains exactly what it has always promised to be: quick, festive and over almost before you realize it’s begun.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media